Walking beam



L. J. BLACK WALKING BEAM Nov. 1, 1932.

Filed April 2, 1931' gwumto'v Lee Jfilaal:

d otoww Patented Nov. 1, 1932 crap:

LEE 3'. BLACK, 0E BEAnMon'r, TEXAS WALKING BEAM Application filerl April 2,

This invention relates to walking beams used for pumping wells or for other like purposes and particularly to the provision of means whereby the end of the walking beam may be swun to clear space for the operation oftackle blOCKS in pulling rods or tubing, or replacing them and the like operations.

()ne of the objects of the present invention is to provide means whereby one end of the walking beam may be swung out of the way, as above stated, which will remove the necessity of taking down the pitmen connected thereto and cocking the beam to an upwardly inclined position as is normally done.

A further object is to provide a walking beam with an extension or section hinged to one end of the walking beam and forming a part thereof and oarticularly to provide a nose or extension which is hinged to the walking beam for alternate swinging movement, but which may be locked in a position of alignment with the walking beam.

Other objects have to do with the details of construction and arrangements of parts as will be more fully hereinafter described.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein Figure 1 is a side elevation of a portion of a walking beam and the Samson post supporting it and showing my improvement applied thereto;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary top plan view of one end or" the walking beam;

Figure 3 is a section on the line 33 of Figure 1.

Referring to this drawing, 10 designates the usual Samson post, and 11 the usual walking beam pivotally mounted upon the Samson post by bearings 12 and trunnions 13. The rear end of the beam, which is not shown in Figure 1, is connected, of course, by the usual pitmen to the usual gear reduction unit crank arm and motor or any other suitable mechanism whereby the walking beam may be certically oscillated. Inasmuch, as these parts have nothing to do with my invention I have not illustrated them.

The forward end of the walking beam is provided with a section 1 1 constituting an extension of the walking beam and hinged to the 1931. Serial No. 527,272.

body of the walking beam by a vertical pintle 15. This pintle passes througheyes formed upon a hinge section 16 (see Figure 3) which is formed to embrace the web of the walking beam, whichbeam is I-shaped in cross section. This portion 16 being riveted to'the web as shown in Figure 8. The upper and lower ends of the hinge portion 16 are flanged at 17 to fit the upper and lower flanges of the eye beam constituting the walking beam and (110 are riveted thereto. The hinge section 16 is formed with one or more eyes 18 and is also provided with the outwardly extending lateral flange 19. i

The nose or extension l lis formed with 6,5 coacting eyes 20 and the pintle 15 passesvertically downward through the eye-s 18 and'20 to thus hingedly connect the section 1 1 to the body 11. The section 14 is also I-shaped in cross section and is provided at its rear end with the laterally projecting flange 21 which when the section 14 is in alignment with thebody ll abuts against the flange19.

Bolts 22 pass through these abutting portions 19 and21 thus holding these flanges 1997 and'21 in engagement with each other and hold the section 14 in positive alignment with the section 11. The outer end ofthe section 14 is bifurcated at '23, as shownin Figure 2, I for pivotal engagement with the usual hanger 8 2 1 connected to the rods in the well.

It will be seen that under ordinary circumstances and when it is necessary to use the walking beam, that the section lt may be swung into alignment with the body 11 and I held rigidly in this position, but that when it is desirable to clear the space immediately beneath the forward end of the walking beam :for the operation of the tackle blocks, in p'ullin rods or tubing or replacing'them in the ho. e, then the bolts 22 are removed and the section 1a is swung around to the dotted line position in Figure 2, thus providinga clearance for the hoisting of the tubing and rods. v, When the tubing and rods have been replaced in the well, the section 1 1 is swung back to its operating position, replacing the" bolts and attaching the hanger 2 1 to the polish rod in the well and the mechanism is again ready for n pumping. e V I It will be seen that this structure does away with the necessity of taking down the pitmen which connect to the rear end of the walking beam and cocking the beam, and it also re moves the necessity of handling any counterweights which are usually applied to the walking beam.

While I have illustrated the use of bolts 22 for the purpose of holding the section 14 in alignment with the section 11, any other suitable locking means might be provided for this purpose and I do not wish to be limited to the bolts nor to the details of construction except and in so far as these are stated in the claims.

. What I claim is c 1. A walking beam and an extension hinged to said walking beam for lateral movement into or out of an operative position of alignment with the body of the walking beam, and means for locking the extension in this position of alignment.

2. A walking beam having an extension at one end thereof hinged to the body of the beam for lateral swinging movement relative to the body of the beam, and means for locking the extension in alignment with the body of the beam.

3. A walking beam having an extension hinged to the body of the beam for lateral movement, the beam having coacting abutments on the extremity of the beam body and the inner extremity of the section limiting the movement of the extension laterally in one direction into a position where it is in alignment with the body of the beam, and means for locking said abutments in abutting relation. I

member being formed with outwardly projecting eyes and an extension I-shaped in cross section and having eyes formed in its inner end and coacting with the first named eyes, a pintle passing downward through said eyes, the hinge member and the extension having coacting laterally projecting flanges adapted to abut against each other when the extension is in line with the body of the beam and bolts passing through said abutting flanges and holding them in abutting relation.

7. In a walking beam, a hinged nose iron, the nose iron being hinged to the body of the walking beam 'for lateral swinging movement to thereby provide a clear space for pulling rods and tubing without taking down the beam from its normal working position.

8. In a walking beam, a nose iron constituting a horizontal extension of the walking beam, the nose iron being mounted upon the walking beam for lateral swinging movement in a plane parallel to the axis of the beam whereby to shorten the eiiective length of the walking beam and to provide a clear space for vertical hoisting action without taking down the beam from its normal position.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

LEE J. BLACK.

4. A walking beam, a hinge member attached to one end of the walking beam and having laterally projecting eyes, a walking beam extension having coacting eyes overlapping the eyes on the hinge member, a pintle extending vertically through said eyes and permitting lateral swinging movement of the extension, and means for releasably locking the extension in a position of alignment with the body of the beam.

5. A walking beam, a hinge member attached rigidly to one end of the beam and having eyes, an extension having eyes coacting with the first named eyes and overlapping the latter, the hinge member and said exten- Sion having opposed laterally projecting lugs abutting against each other when the ex tension is in alignment with the beam, and detachable means for locking said abutments against each other.

6. A walking beam I-shaped in cross section, a hinge member slotted to embrace the end of the web of the walking beam and having' upper and lower flanges bearing against the flanges of the walking beam, said hinge member being riveted thereto, the hinge downward 

